Modron, Tertian

Strength16x

Agility9d

Intellect15d

Willpower20c

Hand Size:Edge:

5 (30)3

Origin:

As is every other modron, all nine of the tertians are extradimensional clockwork beings, hailing from the highly orderly plane of Mechanus. Their fantastic alien physiology is a bizarre blend of flesh and gears, and this, combined with their inherently magical nature, is the source of the tertians' many and various ascendant powers.

Powers:

Modron Physique: the children of Mechanus, the infinite masses of modrons are a potent blend of organism and mechanism. Modrons seamlessly combine the two diametric designs into a seamless whole, a feat which is made possible by their highly orderly, magically charged bodies. Tertians are no exception to this rule, and have access to these powerful abilities as a result:

*Agelessness (s): all modrons, regardless of rank or station, are ageless in nature. Instead of having the longevity power, which implies an eventual lifespan, modrons simply do not age whatsoever. In fact, if not slain by accident or design, a modron may effectively live on forever, adopting new and more versatile forms as it ascends the ladder of law.

*Body Armor (s): both organic and inorganic in nature, all modrons have some manner of resistance to physical attacks. Essentially, a tertian should be treated as having intensity 4 (+1) protection from attacks of a conventional sort. Though judicial in purpose, the tertians are more than capable of holding their own in melee.

*Clairsentience (w): the modron high-ups have unbelievably acute sensory apparatus, allowing them to perceive anything within the plane they currently occupy. Distance isn't a factor, but simply knowing where to look / listen / taste / touch / smell is. This power functions for tertians at intensity 10, allowing them an unheard of awareness of their surroundings.

*Dimensional Transit (i): an offshoot of the hierarch modron's ability to teleport, this supernatural power allows a tertian to transport itself to another plane of existence altogether. However, this power only works at intensity 10, and has the risk of materializing the tertian in solid matter unless it intimately knows the area it is traveling to. Thus, this power is normally used sparingly.

*Force Field (i): hierarch modrons have the ability to form a specialized force field in their immediate vicinity, in either a hemispherical or spherical form. Either way, this force field acts as an intensity 10 barrier against any incoming damage - even magical attacks! However, a determined opponent can teleport through it with ease, but then, that's what a tertian's other powers are for.

*Invulnerability to Emotion Control, Illusion, Mind Control, Paralysis / Sleep, and Vampirism (s): all modrons, especially the nine tertians, are completely immune to these attack forms. As beings of ultimate order, they are able to shrug off such effects with ease - though they can readily perceive when such assaults are used (albeit unsuccessfully) against them.

*Mesmerism (w): though limited in scope, hierarch modrons can use this to great effect when confronted with non-modrons. Working at intensity 10, this power allows a tertian to attempt an easy difficulty Mesmerism action (opposed by the target's Willpower score). If successful, this action lets a tertian force its opponent to execute (or at least attempt) a one word command.

*Resistance to Acid, Cold, and Fire attacks (s): the modron physique is highly resistant, albeit not totally immune to, the effects of extreme cold, heat, and corrosives - this despite their partially metallic nature. They possess intensity 4 (+1) damage reduction against such attack forms, allowing them to maneuver in most hostile environs with relative ease - which comes in handy during the Modron March.

*Resistance to Magic (s): modron hierarchs are resistant to magical powers, whether damaging or otherwise, though each brand of hierarch has a different level of immunity to such power. The tertian, for instance, has intensity 24 (+6) resistance to sorcery. This massive protection helps to demonstrate that there is no easy escape from the law, and no one can avoid the final judgment of the tertians.

*Telepathy (w): all modron hierarchs can telepathically contact modrons they can normally converse with at all times. Tertians, for instance, wield this power at intensity 16, at least where other modrons are concerned. As such, they may achieve mind to mind contact with their quarton inferiors, their tertian peers, and their secundus superiors, pretty much at will.

*Teleportation (i): all hierarch modrons have the innate ability to teleport at will, transporting themselves to just about any place they know of within their current plane of existence. This essentially translates into intensity 20 teleportation, and tertians using this power have no chance whatsoever of materializing in a solid object - this supernatural power is that precise!

Battle Tail (a): tertians, in addition to their two powerful arms, possess a powerful prehensile tail that ends in a knobbly, mace-like ball. Thanks to this additional appendage, tertians may attempt an extra melee attack in a given exchange, as long as this extremity is utilized. Though prehensile in nature, this tail can only be used in the most rudimentary of fashions to grab things, thanks to its end.

Growth (a): the tertians are huge. They stand at a full twelve feet tall, towering over those before them - which can be more than a little imposing if they're trying you for something or other. This 'power' is always on, functioning at intensity 2, and gives them a size factor of +2. Normal-sized foes hit tertians at a +2, but tertians in turn inflict +2 damage against them - and vice versa.

Horns (s): in the unlikely event that a tertian must rely upon physical violence, it does have (in addition to its battle tail) two rather large horns jutting out of its temples. These metallic horns should be considered +2 weapons for all intents and purposes, allowing a tertian to deliver a bone-crunching head-butt or body check to anybody that threatens it up close and personal.

Paralysis (w): if a tertian manages to strike (and cause damage to) an opponent with its prehensile tail, it has the possibility of also affecting him or her with a powerful paralytic (intensity 17) attack, on a successful, easy difficulty Paralysis (willpower) action. Those who are paralyzed by this contingent attack may attempt an easy difficulty Willpower (paralysis) action to free themselves on each subsequent exchange.

Schooling: Adept / Order (both Philosophical and Clerical)

The nine tertians, in addition to their impressive physical prowess, have uncannily potent magical powers. Being adept-level wielders of both the Philosophical and Clerical schools of magic, both in regards to Order, tertians can wield from nine to twelve spells of each type, all of which function at intensity 18. Most, but not all of these should be determined before a given tertian is brought into play.

Hindrances / Augmentations:

(none)

Equipment

(none)

Skills:

Law (i): more than anything else, the modrons are ultimate masters of law, knowing their own clockwork plane in and out. They extend this basic knowledge of What Should Be to all aspects of existence, and should make any Intellect action based on the knowledge of orderly systems at one difficulty level lower than normal, using either Intellect or Willpower if regarding Mechanus, and with an autotrump concerning Regulus.

Law Enforcement 3 (w): as the ultimate judges of crimes on Mechanus, even if they only hear cases of vital import, the tertians have to know how to enforce the laws of Mechanus, in addition to simply understanding them. As such, their knowledge of law enforcement allows them the benefit of an auto-trump in all actions called for in this area by a given tertian - they know their jobs inside and out.

Leadership (w): knowing how to spread resources around and delegate tasks like no other beings alive, all tertians have this skill as a general matter of course. If they can pass an average difficulty Willpower action, these modrons can add a +1 to the action scores of anybody they lead. If the modron loses its ability to lead, however, this bonus turns into a -1 penalty.

Repair / Tinkering (a): furthermore, in their capacity as the caretakers of Mechanus (as far as they are concerned, at least), modrons have a preternatural knowledge of mechanical systems. In addition to allowing them to keep the gears of their home plane running smoothly, this skill doubles as an effective first aid skill for modrons, letting them utilize basic medicinal skills on their brethren.

Calling:

Soldier: more so than any other beings in the multiverse, modrons live to further the influence of law and order. They follow the orders of their superiors instinctively, for to do otherwise is incomprehensible. While this calling sounds more militant than modrons really are, it should be noted that they are virtual exemplars of the soldier mindset.

Characteristics:

The tertians are proud to serve as the absolute final arm of law enforcement on Regulus, in that it is their charge to judge the many perpetrators of chaos. If it could be said, they must enjoy their task, as they are constantly called upon to deal with the lawbreakers of Mechanus, and they never seem discontent with their roles at all.

Appearance:

Like the quartons before them, tertians are veritable giants, measuring in at twelve feet tall. Furthermore, they are blessed with rather large, metallic horns jutting from the temples of their naturally helmeted (steel covered) heads, and a powerful prehensile tail that ends in a knobbly, mace-like tip, one which you really, really don't want to get hit by.

Ecological Niche:

The nine tertians are the absolute arbiters of innocence and guilt in modron society, usually dealing with rogue modrons and other lawbreakers and heretics of both Regulus and Mechanus as a whole. Two are stationed in each of the secundus' towers, though just who the ninth tertian is beholden to is something of a mystery.